Melissa

Lead Teacher



Melissa has been a member of UUCA since 2022, returning to a community she first connected with many years ago when her teens benefited from the church’s youth program. Her journey into early childhood education has been deeply shaped by both lived experience and a reverence for traditional, nature-centered learning.

Heartsong’s Lead Teacher

While raising her children, Melissa discovered a Waldorf parent-child class in Annapolis that completely shifted her perspective on early education. What began as a quiet spark turned into a passionate calling. Inspired by years of immersion in Waldorf communities, school visits, and homeschooling conferences, she chose to formally pursue this path and is now rekindling the magic that first moved her.

In addition to co-creating Heartsong, Melissa teaches preschool-aged children in UUCA’s Spirit Play program each Sunday, where she delights in watching young learners engage with thoughtfully prepared indoor and outdoor spaces.

Outside the classroom, Melissa is an avid birder, hiker, and lover of history and film. She enjoys traveling to remote places to explore on foot and continues to expand her handwork skills in knitting, fiber arts, and drawing. She has been married to her husband for 31 years and is the proud mother of two grown daughters.

Melissa — along with the Heartsong faculty — looks forward to welcoming children and families into a nurturing, grounded, and wonder-filled learning community where exploration, creativity, and nature lead the way.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education

Goucher College, 1994

90-Hour Early Childhood Education Certificate

State of Maryland

Early Childhood Teacher Training (Waldorf Education)

Sunbridge Institute, Chestnut Ridge, NY

Enrolled 2024 – Graduating Summer 2026

Certified Nature-Based Educator

Association for Nature-Based Education

Wilderness CPR & First Aid Certification

Wild/Med

Work Experience

Co-Creator, Heartsong Nature Preschool

Helping shape a holistic, play-based learning environment rooted in Waldorf principles and connection to nature.

Spirit Play Teacher, UUCA

Teaching preschool-aged children through storytelling, imaginative play, and thoughtfully prepared classroom environments.

Early Childhood Educessionional Experience:

Head Start educator (early career)

Federal preschool educator, Washington, DC

Stay-at-home parent

Dedicated to raising her children while actively exploring alternative education philosophies and practices.

Sarah

Director of Heartsong Nature Preschool

Sarah has served as the Director of Lifespan Faith Formation at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis since fall 2022. She is also the co-creator of Heartsong Nature Preschool, where she will step into the role of Director, guiding the school’s vision and educational leadership while an Administrator manages daily operations.